diff --git a/src/core/special-vars.c b/src/core/special-vars.c
index 36d0743c..c695a0a7 100644
--- a/src/core/special-vars.c
+++ b/src/core/special-vars.c
@@ -582,8 +582,19 @@ void eval_special_string(const char *cmd, const char *data,
 			ret = g_strconcat(old, " ", data, NULL);
 			g_free(old);
 		}
+
+                server_ref(server);
 		signal_emit("send command", 3, ret, server, item);
 
+		if (!server_unref(server)) {
+                        /* the server was destroyed */
+			server = NULL;
+                        item = NULL;
+		}
+
+		/* FIXME: window item would need reference counting as well,
+		   eg. "/EVAL win close;say hello" wouldn't work now.. */
+
 		g_free(ret);
 		commands = g_slist_remove(commands, commands->data);
 	}